Summer feels just about over with the end of Labor Day but don’t fret, that just means it’s time for all of the wonderful things fall has to offer – football games, tailgates, boots, and Halloween! But before we bid summer our final adieu, we’re going to help you make the most out of the last harvest of summer produce.
We’ve whipped up 3 make-ahead salads with 5 ingredients or less (olive oil, salt, and pepper are freebies) to help ease you out of summer and into fall.
1. Late Summer Harvest Salad
Ingredients (Serves 4 as a side dish)
– 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
– 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
– 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
– 5 basil leaves, minced
– 1/2 lemon
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– Salt and pepper to taste
Place corn kernels in a medium bowl. Add tomatoes, zucchini, basil, juice from lemon, and olive oil; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Roasted Tomato Chicken Salad
Ingredients (Makes 4 sandwiches)
– 1 pint cherry tomatoes
– 1 2-pound rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
– 1/2 cup reduced fat olive oil mayonnaise
– 1/2 lemon
– 10 basil leaves, minced
– Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread tomatoes on paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until tomatoes have blistered and start to brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Place shredded chicken in a medium bowl; add mayonnaise, juice from 1/2 lemon, and basil, stirring to combine. Gently fold in cooled tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve salad on multigrain toast with a few basil leaves (optional).
3. Quinoa & Stone Fruit Salad
Ingredients (Serves 4 as a side dish)
– 2 tablespoons honey
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions and cooled
– 2 cups stone fruit (such as peaches, nectarines, or pluots), chopped
– 1/4 cup dry roasted almonds, roughly chopped
– Dash of cinnamon
– Sea salt to taste
Mix honey and olive oil together; set aside. Place cooled quinoa in a large bowl and add honey mixture, stirring to combine. Add stone fruits and almonds; toss to combine. Season with cinnamon and flaky sea salt.
So enjoy the last fruits and veggies of summer, and give yourself some extra time during the week. Stay tuned for more make-ahead goodness later this week!
Have any questions about the recipes above? What are your favorite make-ahead meals when you know you’ve got a busy week ahead of you? Talk to us in the comments below or come say hi on Twitter.
Sarah Jones is a native (and proud!) Texan currently living in sunny Palo Alto. Check out Sarah’s baking and cooking recipes at The Purple Mixer.
